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Science
Software By Science Teachers For Science Teachers
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Simulations |
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One of the multimedia modules found often in Multimedia Science software is the computer simulation. If a picture is worth a thousand words, than an animated simulation must be worth a million words. There are many real world processes that are very difficult to explain clearly by verbal explanation and drawing on an overhead, chalkboard, or whiteboard. There are several reasons why a simulation can help teach difficult science concepts:
Let's take a look at an example simulation. The screen shot below is from one of the multimedia modules from Chemistry Games, Labs, & Demos - the Equilibrium Simulator. Click on the Chemistry tab from the home page for more information on this software. |
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| First, the coefficients in the general equation A + B = C + D are set. Then the numbers of molecules of A, B, C, and D are set by using the sliders on the left side of the screen. The reactants are shown in red and the products are shown in blue. Finally, the equilibrium constant is set. The reaction can be set in motion, stopped at any point, or restarted by clicking on the Start and Stop buttons. Students can see the molecules changing color as they bounce around the screen and the reaction proceeds. They can also see how the numbers in the equilibrium expression changes as the reaction moves towards equilibrium. The equilibrium constant can be changed during the simulation to show how the amounts of product and reactant change at different equilibrium constants. Using this simulation students can see the reaction progress and the relationship to the equilibrium expression. |
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| Here are some other Multimedia Science software titles that include simulations: | |||
Physics
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